The Lieutenant and the Soldier
by Dark Shodo
Summary: Trowa x Noin, Based on Episode 15.


Disclaimer: Gundam Wing © Bandai; Sunrise.

"Going from place to place, it would only be a matter till someone found us." –Trowa Barton

From a side street, Trowa and Heero walked into the darkness. Heero was traveling around the world, searching for his forgivers as they were the relatives of a pacifist he had killed in cold blood.

Noventa.

The name echoed into his mind, piercing the fortified boundary of his soldier skills. He could not forgive himself of the crime. It was as if a certain part of him was lost forever. Trowa, noticing the burden on his face, responded, "Last stop. Satisfied?" Heero closed his eyes and put his head down. "It's not that simple." Trowa, sympathizing, tried to lure Heero into a state of agreement, saying OZ had tricked Heero and it was only reasonable he would feel that way. "...To put your life in the hands of your victim's family..."

"That is what I want." Heero replied with a sorrowful expression on his face.

As the sun began to die down, the soldiers began to travel down the never-ending street. Unknowingly, a black car began to follow them, turning just around the corner as they would leave. The streets were filled with livelihood, the brown cobblestone paths were surround by laughter and happiness, the sea was blowing, and the car crept by. The crow followed their steps, driving by the town and driving right behind the two.

Trowa and Heero turned around to realize their fate. They were being watched, by the unknown enemy. It needed to die, to disappear, and become restrained. Heero offered to help, but Trowa persuaded him that he was in no condition to do so. Heero jumped into a nearby Fruit Truck for cover, and out of nowhere, a red flashy motorcycle appeared on the street, with Trowa threatening to play a game of cat and mouse with the black car.

The motorcycle screeched and Trowa zoomed pass the car, lagging behind. The chase continued through wide roads and crowded alleys until Trowa took a sharp turn towards the cliff. The car followed, but pressed on its breaks during the sharp turn. It was on the edge of the cliff, with the sea and jagged rocks below. It was saved by a measly pole. By the time the men realized it, it was too late. The man with the motorcycle was gone, disappearing into what seemed like thin air.

Trowa went into the shadows, to where Heero was lurking, trying to recover from his injury. "Thanks, I owe you," Heero said, throwing an apple to Trowa he had picked up from one of the crates in the Fruit truck. The two of them began to talk about their presence, how easy it was to be followed by the unknown enemy. They needed to get out of here.

"You can use my carrier," responded a young woman's voice.

"I didn't expect you to be alive." She said as she walked confidently towards the two soldiers through the darkness. Trowa looked at her with a plain facial expression. She continued to walk up to them. Within a sudden instant of time, he dropped the apple Heero had given him and pulled out a gun, pointing towards the woman with the black hair who had a military-like appearance. The apple dropped and she picked it up with a charming expression. They don't know anything, they have much to learn. "My name is Lucrezia Noin. I serve under Colonel Zechs." Heero remembered the name faintly. Who was this Zechs?

"The pilot you fought against in Siberia," responded Noin. Trowa still looked at her with metallic behavior. She was not getting in so easily. Trowa said "Don't think we'll put up without a fight."

Noin smiled at them and unwrapped her story. Colonel Zechs wanted a rematch with Heero. And it was her job to carry his decision out. She had an unusual obsession with Zechs, and whatever he wished must be her goal to achieve. Zechs wanted a rematch, not because of Heero's name, but because of skills. This added much respect and admiration to the name Zechs. Noin continued to smile. After the entire story was told of Zech's high opinion of war, the soldiers agreed to the match.

The wind whistled from outside. Zechs reached Noin from machinery. He was pleased of their decision and her help, Noin was a close friend and admiration. He warned her of the search party from Lake Victoria. Noin said that she would take care of it. - Over and out.

The carrier was over the cold seas now and Noin traveled down the stairs to meet with the young men. Trowa was teaching Heero about Heavyarm's operations and functions. The cold aura surrounded them, a sense of mystery with the older and boldness with the younger. Noin eyed them carefully. Working so hard, they're no different from other young pilots. Little did she know of this false impression. It was to happen soon. It was to happen now.

Two hours passed and Noin went upstairs to rest for a while. To think about Zechs, her purpose in life, and the rematch. As she closed the door and turned around, the older was standing, leaning against the wall.

"How did you get up here!?"

"I have skills."

"Just like an ordinary soldier."

Trowa looked at her with a form of repugnance. She had no idea what she was talking of. His skills were unparalleled to her. Noin's faultless face expressed her experience in battle perfectly. He figured her out. Trowa stepped closer, until he saw a picture of a young man with blonde hair on Noin's desk. Fighting for a loved one, he thought, is the most effective. "War is not emotional," he said to Noin, looking at her feminine eyes. She was too innocent, she had never killed a man in cold blood, and he knew that she would never come to realize this. "I will choose to do what I think is best for myself, and everyone," replied a fuming Noin.

Trowa smiled faintly and began to approach her. Noin's expression remained confident, impenetrable. He walked right up to her and stared at her stubborn eyes. She was about his height, perhaps even an inch or two taller, he figured. She remained silent. He seized her wrist, protruding. She felt a sudden burst or energy, surrounding it. She tried to bring it back, but his grip was inconceivable. Noin's face twitched, revealing a bit of uncomfortable behavior. "Wha-What do you want?" Trowa looked at her with a straight face. "Skills."

He dropped the hand and went outside the door.

After three hours of flying over the Antarctic region, the carrier's heat system died out. Noin went downstairs again to give the soldiers warming coats. "I can't have our special guests catch a cold." She handed coats to both them and held their coffees while they were putting it on. Heero asked where they were going and Noin replied near the South Pole. Suddenly, a crew member rushed in "Lieutenant! We have a problem!" Noin turned around swiftly. Other carriers were following them. The search group of Lake Victoria. She decided to sacrifice two Aries units and save the fighting for later. Trowa realized her mistake, "Stop lying. You wouldn't do anything to burden Zechs." Noin was enraged. "My mission is to get you to the destination safely. The method is up to me!" Her bitter tone of voice was carried out into the battlefield.

The battle began. Trowa and Heero noted Noin's tendency to avoid direct assault at all costs. An OZ commander could not survive for long in this state of mind. The two units dropped and Noin strapped herself into the mobile unit. The search party was trailing behind, and she didn't know it. She remembered Trowa's face. "Damn it. I have failed Zechs." The Lake Victoria units swarmed by the carrier and began to attack while two units were busy amongst the front. Suddenly, an injured mobile suit fell from the sky and Noin chased after it. She could not afford to lose one of her men. She landed and asked of his heath. The injured soldier looked at her wit h a sigh of relief.

Noin went out into the field and stopped in front of the search party's leader. Backup troops flooded from the sky. Meanwhile, in the carrier, Noin's crewman shouted that she was in trouble and they must turn back to save her. Trowa said dully, "It's against orders." The crewman seemed angry, a complete follower of the Lieutenant. "What? I won't take that crap from you, he said." Trowa was annoyed. "You're too weak."

The carrier turned around and Trowa began to suit up to help the obdurate Lieutenant.

"That's enough! Cried Lucrezia Noin. "Ceasefire! We surrender!" The leader refused and she stood in disbelief. The worst had grasped her. She wanted to keep Zechs safe. But she failed. Just then, the aircraft flew from up above and began to fire at enemy units. The red Gundam slid from the carrier onto the ground. It began to slaughter the enemy units, until only one was left. Romefeller. The leader of the Lake Victoria Search Party. Trowa destroyed them all. Romefeller cried with shock, "A Gundam!" Trowa stepped closer and destroyed Romefeller's unit. Noin looked around. She was shocked. The soldier had destroyed them all. Without sparing a single being. Trowa turned around to the Romefeller unit and looked down. With a cold voice, he said:

"Those who've laid eyes on a Gundam shall not live. Those are my orders."

"That's enough! Stop!" cried Noin. He was going to kill, no, massacre Romefeller. He could not do it. Noin opened her suit and came out. "Stop! Don't do it!" Trowa ignored the request as he lifted the arm and pulled out a sharp blade. He spiraled and cut the Gundam into pieces; Romefeller was cut into pieces and disposed of. A big explosion followed. Noin stared in disbelief. The sky turned red and Trowa removed his fingers from the grip of the blade. "Damn it. Why do I have to keep fighting on like this?" Noin ran to the red Gundam and looked up. Her voice trembled. "These young pilots are too pure." It opened up and he fell to the floor.

"Are you alright?"

"The name is Trowa. I need you to reload the explosives for Heero."

"Forget that. Stop worrying about that right now! Start thinking of your own welfare!"

Noin looked around and cast her eyes upon the destroyed Romefeller. Blood was seeping through with pieces of his body everywhere; she could not bear to see it. Her head started to heat up, she felt dizzy, and fell to the floor on her back. Trowa climbed up to her fallen body and looked down at her. "You're too weak."

Noin opened her eyes. The room was quiet. Trowa was looking down at her. Trowa asked, "You fainted on the battle ground. How are you feeling?" Noin was angry, she had failed Zechs. She looked at Trowa's eyes and recalled the event. Trowa was malicious. He had killed the leader in such a grotesque manner, it was more than frightening. Noin stared blankly until the door opened. Heero stood close by and Trowa came by to talk to him. Hero said that he would fix the Gundam before the rematch. Heero then left, closing the door. Trowa walked to Noin. "Heero –" He glanced at Noin's uneasiness. She was frightened. War is not emotional; one must be prepared for reality. He was faintly reminded of a young girl –Blonde hair, pretty eyes, the name Une. He then felt a strange attraction towards Noin.

Trowa bent down and held Noin's shaky hand. She refused again, but he insisted, sliding his fingers between hers and comforting it in an illusory manner. Noin put herself above the covers, trying to back out. Trowa, still holding her hand, sat down on the bed and gently seized Noin's other hand as well. She felt awkward and fell back on the bed. "Let go of me." Trowa closed his eyes, "My orders cannot not be disobeyed. What has to be done - must be done." He then closed in on her face, and put his arm around her neck. Noin was stuttering. Trowa gently placed his mouth over her; it was a slow, demanding caress. Noin was stunned, trying to break free, but he would not let her go. He had already lost one. He would not loose another.

This was an unusual practice with Noin. She had never received such appreciation before; even Zechs had only come near enough to embrace her. This was more than an embrace. This was a bonding of two individuals who had lost their capability of love due to unwanted circumstances. They had lost themselves in the midst of war.

But she refused to accept it. The Romefeller images flashed in her mind once again. Trowa. Malicious. Killer. At the same time she felt the presence of him all over her body, trying to take over her, take life from her, so she began to fight back again. Trowa showed a sign of irritation and ignored Noin's request once more. Noin let out a yelp, "Ple-Please, let me go." Trowa noted the sorrowful expression on her face. "Calm down, Lieutenant." He began to pin down Noin harder than before.

Crouching on top of her, he placed himself near her side, clutching one of her wrists and wrapping his arm around her waist. He began to kiss her around the neck, causing her to arch her back. Noin could feel Trowa's beautiful bangs brush against her face and neck. She could feel his soft lips caressing her neck. His arms locking her into position. It made her shudder. Trowa smiled.

Sensing the extremity, she began to sink her stomach and breathe heavily. She had to get out of this. She resisted more violently till she broke free of Trowa's embrace.

Noin elevated from the bed and was heading towards the door until Trowa came up from behind and trapped her with his arms surrounding her lower back, tilting her head back and covering her soft mouth under his. Noin was weakened and swept off her feet.

"He doesn't love you."

A thought triggered into Noin's stream of consciousness. She fell to the floor from distress into Trowa's arms and he carried her back onto the bed. A tear fell from her eye and Trowa had realized what he had just done. He had stolen her right to love another, to believe. He felt remorseful and lifted the covers back onto her and decided to let Noin depart. He placed the picture of Zechs near her pillow and smiled softly. Trowa apologized and walked outside.

Noin looked at the picture and beamed.


End file.
